鐔津文集 16.4

16.4

韓子為贈絳州刺史馬彙之行狀曰。司徒公之薨也。刺臂血書佛經千餘言。期以報德。又曰。其居喪有過人行。又曰。愈既世通家詳聞其世系事業。從少府請。掇其大者為行狀。託立言之君子而圖其不朽焉。馬彙者蓋北平郡王司徒馬遂之長子也。司徒公之薨者。乃其在父之喪也。刺臂出血書佛經者。在韓子當辯。乃從而稱之。韓子殆始識知乎佛經歟。夫父母之德昊天罔極。而孰可報之。今曰期以報德。韓子其乃知佛之法有所至乎。曰其居喪有過人行。是亦高其能行佛之事也。曰掇其大者以為行狀託立言之君子而圖其不朽焉者。韓子亦欲人皆勸而從事于佛乎。吾考韓子為行狀時。其年已三十四五。立朝近作博士御史矣。韓子自謂。素讀書著文。其楊墨釋老之學無所入其心。至此乃善彙為佛氏之事。豈韓子既壯。精神明盛。始見道理。迺覺佛說之為至耶。其後之雖稍辯佛（如辨佛骨事也）將外專儒以護其名。而內終默重其道妙乎。不然何徹至老以道理與大顛相善之殷勤而如彼也。夫佛乃人之至大者也。其可毀乎毀之適足以自損。於佛何所傷也。雖然原道先擯佛。何其太過。而行狀推佛。何其專也歟。韓子固亦不恒其德矣（注韓子為進學解。謂其陽斥佛老矣故其作原道最在前）。

Master Han wrote in his biographical account (xingzhuang) for Ma Hui, the late Prefect of Jiangzhou: 'When the Grand Preceptor passed away, [Ma Hui] pricked his arm for blood to write more than a thousand words of Buddhist sutras, hoping thereby to repay [his father's] virtue.' He also said: 'His conduct during mourning surpassed that of other men.' He further said: 'Since Yu has long been acquainted with the family through generations and has heard in detail of their ancestral lineage and deeds, following the request of the Director of the Palace Administration (Shaofu), I have selected the major points to compile this biographical account, entrusting it to noble gentlemen who establish teachings in words, in order to seek his immortality.' Ma Hui was the eldest son of the Prince of Beiping Commandery and Grand Preceptor, Ma Sui. 'When the Grand Preceptor passed away' refers to his being in mourning for his father. Pricking his arm to draw blood to write Buddhist sutras was something that Master Han ought to have refuted, yet instead he praised it. Was Master Han perhaps just beginning to recognize and understand Buddhist sutras? The virtue of parents is vast as the boundless heavens; who indeed could ever repay it? Now he said, 'hoping thereby to repay [his father's] virtue'—did Master Han thereby know that the Dharma of the Buddha reaches [the ultimate]? Saying, 'His conduct during mourning surpassed that of other men' was also exalting his ability to practice the deeds of the Buddha. In saying, 'I have selected the major points to compile this biographical account, entrusting it to noble gentlemen who establish teachings in words, in order to seek his immortality,' did Master Han also wish that all people be encouraged to devote themselves to the Buddha? When I examine the time Master Han composed this biographical account, he was already thirty-four or thirty-five years of age; having taken his place at court, he had recently served as Erudite (boshi) and Censor (yushi). Master Han himself claimed that he had always read books and composed writings, and that the teachings of Yang, Mo, Śākya, and Lao had never entered his mind. Yet at this point he praised Hui for doing things of the Buddhists. Could it be that once Master Han reached prime adulthood, his spirit and vitality grew bright and flourishing, he first perceived truth, and thereupon realized that what the Buddha expounded is supreme? Later, although he slightly disputed Buddhism (as in the affair of disputing the Buddha's bone), was he outwardly devoting himself solely to Confucianism to safeguard his reputation, while inwardly in the end silently venerating its marvelous Dao? If not, why did he, straight through to old age, remain on such attentive and intimate terms with Dadian on account of the Dao? The Buddha is indeed the greatest of men; how could he be disparaged? Disparaging him merely suffices to diminish oneself—what harm could it do to the Buddha? Even so, in his *Yuandao*, he first rejected Buddhism—how excessively harsh! Yet in his biographical account, he promoted Buddhism—how single-minded! Master Han certainly was not constant in his virtue. (Note: In Master Han's *Jinxue jie*, it is said that he overtly denounced Buddhism and Daoism; hence, his writing of *Yuandao* was the earliest.)